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Edmunds' Expert Review

Stout performance and competitive pricing make the 2015 Chevrolet Spark EV an intriguing option for an urban runabout, provided you can work around its long recharging times.

vehicle overview

The benefits of owning an electric vehicle are pretty obvious: never having to buy gas, a lower carbon footprint for the planet and the financial perks that come with government tax credits. But the downsides of EV ownership are also pretty obvious. If you've balanced these pros and cons and still think an EV is for you, the 2015 Chevrolet Spark EV is one you'll want to look at.

Undoubtedly, one of the first concerns with any electric car will be its range. So how far can the Spark EV go on a full charge? The EPA rates the Spark EV as having an 82-mile range, which is pretty close to what you get from other EVs. Performance is another chief concern among electric-vehicle shoppers. Pleasingly, the Spark EV is one of the quicker electric cars we've tested, and it should be even quicker this year thanks to new powertrain enhancements The Spark also comes well equipped with features, and its MSRP is typically thousands less than those of rival EVs.

The Spark EV is less competitive when it comes to charging times, though. It has a 3.3-kilowatt onboard charger, while most competitors have double that (a 6.6 kW charger) onboard. It's not necessarily a deal breaker for the Spark EV -- its approximate 7-hour full charging time with a 240-volt power source is still well within the typical time window of recharging at home overnight -- but it's something to consider nevertheless. There is available equipment that allows you to connect to a DC charger to quicken that pace, but finding the correct charging port is difficult.

Another downside is that the Spark EV is sold in only two states: California and Oregon. If you live elsewhere, you should check out the 2015 Nissan Leaf. It's slower but offers a roomier cabin and similar range, along with well-established reliability. We also recommend the sporty Ford Focus Electric, the nimble (but California-only) 2015 Fiat 500e and the new Volkswagen e-Golf. Overall, though, we think the Edmunds.com "B" rated 2015 Spark EV has pros that certainly outweigh the cons.

2015 Chevrolet Spark EV configurations

The 2015 Chevrolet Spark EV is an all-electric, subcompact, four-door hatchback with seating for four. There are two trim levels, 1LT and 2LT, differentiated only by minor upgrades in interior trim.

A DC quick charger is optional for any Spark EV. Connected to the proper power source, a Spark EV fitted with this option can recharge its batteries to 80 percent of capacity in 20 minutes, Chevy says.

2015 Highlights

The 2015 Chevrolet Spark EV has had adjustments made to the drivetrain that bring quicker acceleration while keeping the same mileage range. Also, OnStar with 4G LTE and standard built-in Wi-Fi will be added as a late-availability item.

Performance & mpg

The 2015 Chevrolet Spark EV is an electric vehicle powered by a 105-kilowatt electric motor (140 horsepower and 327 pound-feet of torque). Power for the motor comes from a 18.4 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. It takes the Spark EV seven hours to recharge at 240 volts, which is considerably longer than other similarly priced EVs. If you're only able to plug into a 110-volt outlet, the process could take as long as 20 hours. An optional SAE combo charger promises quicker turnaround times (up to 80 percent charge in 20 minutes and a full charge in 45 minutes) but only if you have easy access to a faster DC charger.

The EPA rates the 2015 Spark EV for 82 miles of driving range on the combined city/highway driving cycle. This is just a few miles shy of the range estimates on the Fiat 500e and the Nissan Leaf. The EPA also rates the Spark EV's energy consumption at 28 kWh used per 100 miles (the lower the kWh number here, the better), which is slightly more frugal than most rivals.

We last tested a 2014 Spark EV, and it accelerated from zero to 60 mph in a quick 7.5 seconds against Chevrolet's estimate of 7.2 seconds.

In Edmunds testing, a 2014 Spark EV stopped from 60 mph in 122 feet, which is a shorter than average distance for an electric car.

Driving

Quick acceleration is one of the first things you'll notice with the 2015 Spark EV. Almost all EVs can feel snappy around town thanks to the nature of their electric powertrains, but other than some luxury-branded EVs, you're not going to find anything quicker than the Chevy.

The Spark EV feels nicely planted when going around turns. It has a relatively composed highway ride with minimal choppiness and road noise over seams and ruts -- unusual for a car with such a small footprint. The Spark's regenerative braking system is also more receptive than most rivals' systems to range-increasing driving techniques like cruising with your foot off the accelerator pedal.

Interior

The interior of the 2015 Chevrolet Spark EV is minimalist at best, but there's a refreshing simplicity to the dashboard's clean lines, the motorcycle-like instrument cluster and the large central touchscreen.

The Spark EV's gauges are altered from the conventional Spark's to better provide the data unique to electric propulsion: Simple graphics keep you up to speed on the battery pack's state of charge and remaining driving range. The standard MyLink touchscreen infotainment system features sharp graphics and intuitive menus. It also boasts strong smartphone app integration, including Internet radio, text message translation, voice commands and available navigation. Still, like a lot of similar systems, the screen sometimes fails to register touch inputs, which can be frustrating.

Thanks to the Spark's tall roof, there's a general impression of roominess, particularly for those up front. The front seats are comfortable enough for the distance you're able to travel in one sitting, and the only real negative is the lack of a telescoping steering wheel.

Those in the two-passenger rear seat also enjoy a refreshing amount of headroom, but there isn't an abundance of leg- and hiproom. The rear seatbacks offer a 60/40 split, but because of battery packaging constraints, the seats don't fold fully flat. The Spark EV offers 9.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, and folding them provides 23.4 cubic feet of capacity -- down from 31.2 in the gasoline Spark.

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the 2015 Chevrolet Spark EV.

Most helpful consumer reviews

The more I drive it...

Bobbie,07/11/2015

... the more I like electric vehicles. I am currently under a three-year lease for the Spark EV. I have had the vehicle for almost three months and I have been driving it everyday for the past 30 days. I live in California and the Spark EV allows me to use the carpool lane after I paid DMV $8 for the carpool lane stickers. It is a very economical vehicle to use. See below for more information:
The good-
It costs me less than $2 to fully charge the car. This gives me 82-87 miles range. I am saving around $3.50 a day by not driving my gasoline powered car. At the end of three years, I expect to save at least $2730 on gas alone.
The car is incredibly fast. The acceleration is very fast. The Sports Mode is awesome for merging into the highway at the on ramp. Most vehicles cannot keep up with me during the first three seconds of acceleration.
The carpool lane sticker is the best part! I am cutting a minimum of 30 minutes off commute time daily. This is priceless and I am spoiled.
The car gets even better range when you are stuck in stop and go traffic. It was costing me only $0.10 to travel 16 miles. Braking and coasting will recharge the battery. It is entirely possible to get more than 100 miles of driving range if you are in stop and go traffic.
The free On Star navigation is great! I use it all the time.
I love the great warranty and the free roadside assistance program from Chevy.
The car is tiny. This makes it very easy to park in a tight space. In big cities, this is invaluable.
I am getting a $2500 check from the CA government for using the EV. If I had bought the car, the fed will also let me take $7500 off my income tax.
I received a $500 charger credit from Bosch. I ended up only paying $30 for a $500 Bosch charger.
I love the ability to remotely turn on the AC after parking the car. What's the big deal? I would park my car, turn on the AC and go to the store. When I am done shopping, the car will be nice and cool waiting for me to drive. Keep in mind the engine is not running. A car thief cannot just break into the car and drive away.
Due to the heavy battery, the car has low center of gravity and it is very stable to drive this car.
No need to warm up the engine. Just drive.
No need to change oil. Pure electric.
Free first two years service included (rotate tires and fluid checks). Fluids for brake, windshield, and coolant.
Charging at a Direct Charging Station really charges a car to 80% in less than 20 minutes. The DC charging station puts out 125 amps! But it is not cheap to use it right now as gas is only $3 a gallon.
Now the bad-
The stereo system SUCKS!!! The sound quality is awful. I am not sure why Chevy chose to do it this way. It does not have a CD player. It says six speakers but I am only able to find four speakers.
The UI for the phone and stereo is awful. I wish I could use Siri to assist me.
Bluetooth connection is a bit slower than Toyota vehicles.
The rear seats are extremely uncomfortable. Even my kids complained about them and that's a first.
The rear cargo space is very limited. Best to fold the seats down for more space.
There is a blind spot in the rear passenger side. Must be careful for lane changing.
Long charging time. The standard charger which came with the vehicle at 8 amps takes 20 hours to fully charge the car. When I changed the charging setting to 12 amps, it took much less time. Having said that, my Bosch charger operating at 16 amps (220 V) typically charges 10 miles in an hour. In other words, it will take four hours to charge 40 miles with a 240V charger. 240 V chargers are strongly recommended. 110 V at 12 amps will also work.
The steering only goes up and down. It is not a telescopic steering wheel.
At 70 to 80 MPH, the car gets very noisy.
At 70 to 80 MPH, the battery drains much faster. Best mileage if the speed is less than 50 MPH (per manual).
The load capacity is limited. It is less than 650 lbs. Don't expect to fit four big people in the car.
Bottom line- this is a great commuter and easy on the wallet everyday car if you keep track of the travel distance needed. I have three other vehicles but I only drive this car in the carpool lane to work. Even without the carpool lane stickers, I would buy (not lease) my next electric vehicle. The Spark EV replacement is called Bolt and it is supposed to have a 200 mile driving range. Although the 2015 Spark EV has a limited driving range (less than 87 miles) and the stereo is just terrible, I love this car and I am thinking about leasing another Spark EV for my mother.

I loved my spark.....until

T.C.,09/10/2015

Update: Awhile back I had an issue with replacing a tire. After being told by the dealer that it was going to take 5-6 weeks to get a tire, I went online and bought one, and got it in the mail! Yes! I took it over to the dealer, who told me THEY DIDN'T HAVE MY CAR! I had to walk the lot to find my car. Turns out they had me in the system twice. Not really confidence- inspiring! I got the tire put on and was once again rolling the HOV lane with glee.
HOWEVER.....several months later I was sideswiped on the highway by a large SUV. I immediately lost control of the car, veered off into another lane, hit a car, rolled onto the shoulder, ran over a signpost...I thought we were gonna die. Good news - no one was hurt. Did you know that there are knee air bags? Every air bag deployed, and we were shook up but basically unharmed. Sadly, my little car was no more. Onstar called the police and they towed it away.
My new car is a Volt. No more range anxiety!

Great little car!

elripster,04/26/2015

I bought this car on an excellent lease deal. The reviews pretty much nail it right on. It is very fun to drive.
Dealers, you need to figure out how to actually execute the purchase faster. If there is no haggling, or haggling has resulted in an agreed upon price, should it really take 2 hours to prepare the paperwork so I can take 2 minutes to sign it? Why give customers more time to get cold feet and tie your sales staff up with entertaining what are essentially closed deals when that staff could be courting other customers? Figure out how to get the purchase done faster, make more money, and make more happy customers.
So fast forward to 2018 and I just turned my electric go cart. I sure did take a lot cars off of the line much to the bewilderment of the roaring engine next to me. I managed to run it out of only energy once in 3 years. I will say it was a great starter EV and great for anyone doing local commutes. With its range, I came in under 10,000 miles/year. I put 1 set of front tires on it and that was it for maintenance. Well, I did have it detailed before returning it. My kids made a mess of the inerior but low and behold, it all came out! Chalk one up to cheap materials! I rated the stars based on what I thought was reasonable for what is essentially a $15k car.
We added a 3rd kid to the fleet and leased a Bolt EV and thus decided not to buy out the Spark. If one of you ends up with a used silver Spark, it might by our Sparkrocket, and I hope it treats you well.

A whole lot of fun!

TJ,09/19/2015

Just pick up our leased Spark 1LT EV for my daughter $119/39 mo lease absolutely zero down ....I think I pay more for our phones...
It's our first EV and we are loving it. We already stuck 5 people in it to see if it could handle the load, not bad at all. The price is outstanding for what you get and it's perfect for out situation, about 20 miles round trip per day. Nothing to shout about in terms of comfort compared to other vehicles but did I mentioned the price.... We have purchased new or nearly new vehicles in the past and tend to keep them for a long time. It was a surprise to find so much tech in this car compared to our existing vehicles (2000 & 2003). For us, it was purely a tech play on the lease, because I figure that the mileage will double in three years like it has in the past three years. So in three years if most of the EV's are pushing 200 miles than we might buy one and keep it for a longer time. In the mean time my kids get to start off their driving experience in a zero emissions car and hopefully will stay with EV's their whole life.

What's a good price on a Used 2015 Chevrolet Spark EV Hatchback?

The Used 2015 Chevrolet Spark EV Hatchback 1LT is priced between $8,899 and$8,899 with odometer readings between 37542 and37542 miles.

The Used 2015 Chevrolet Spark EV Hatchback 2LT is priced between $11,350 and$11,350 with odometer readings between 13935 and13935 miles.

Shop with Edmunds for perks and special offers on used cars, trucks, and SUVs near Ashburn, VA. Doing so could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars. Edmunds also provides consumer-driven dealership sales and service reviews to help you make informed decisions about what cars to buy and where to buy them.

Which used 2015 Chevrolet Spark EV Hatchbacks are available in my area?

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Should I lease or buy a 2015 Chevrolet Spark EV?

Is it better to lease or buy a car? Ask most people and they'll probably tell you
that car buying is the way to go. And from a financial perspective, it's true, provided you're willing to make
higher monthly payments, pay off the loan in full and keep the car for a few years. Leasing, on the other hand,
can be a less expensive option on a month-to-month basis. It's also good if you're someone who likes to drive a
new car every three years or so.